title: Lilium lancifolium Thunb. extract attenuates pulmonary inflammation and air space enlargement in a cigarette smoke-exposed mouse model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lilium lancifolium Thunb. (Liliaceae) has long been used as a traditional medicine in Korea and China to treat bronchitis, pneumonia, and other pulmonary ailments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Cigarette smoke (CS) is a major risk factor for the development of pulmonary inflammatory response; it also triggers pulmonary alveoli enlargement. In the present study, we investigate the effects of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract on pulmonary inflammatory responses in a CS-exposed mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Water extract of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root was fed to C57BL/6 mice prior CS exposure every day for 3 weeks. The numbers of macrophages and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. The relative inflammatory factors, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) were measured by real-time PCR, ELISA, or Western blot analysis. The average alveoli size was determined by lung histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract was found to significantly inhibit the numbers of macrophages and neutrophils in BALF due to CS exposure. Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract also reduced the protein secretion levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in BALF and the RNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1, and MMP-12 in lung tissue compared with mice only exposed to CS. Moreover, MMP-12 in serum was down regulated in Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract treated mice compared with CS-exposed mice. Finally, a morphometric analysis of the lungs of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract treated mice demonstrated a significant reduction in airspace size compared to mice only exposed to CS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract reduces lung inflammation and airspace enlargement in a CS-exposed mouse model. These data indicate that Lilium lancifolium Thunb. root extract is a therapeutic candidate for pulmonary inflammation and emphysema caused by CS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Physiology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, #1 Hoeki-dong, Dongdaemoon-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Euijeong
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nayoung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Young Pyo
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jinju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D027762:Lilium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Cigarette smoke; Enlargement of alveoli; Lilium lancifolium Thunb.; Pulmonary inflammation